Hunky doctors with a great smile and a lovely disposition is well, the stuff dreams are made of for most of us gals, so it’s no wonder that when Dr. Mikhail Varshavski D.O. (aka Dr. Mike) started his Instagram account, we paid attention. His social media fame has brought him media attention, but it is his winning spirit and giving nature that has many of us wanting to know more.

He is tall, dark, and handsome – that is already established, but more importantly he is using his new found fame and skilled mind to do good for the rest of the human community, by volunteering his time and starting a foundation that helps people reach their goals and dreams as well. As the old adage goes, teaching a person to fish is after-all the greatest gift we can give to each other – time, skill, and belief are the ultimate forms of love bestowed upon others. Dr. Mike has no problem offering that to others as is evident both in his social media outreach and in his latest venture, The Limitless Tomorrow Foundation.

For him, being a doctor was like being in the family business. He explains, “My family and I immigrated to the states when I was just 6 years old. My father was a physician back in Russia but in coming to America he had to start medical training from scratch and in a foreign language to boot. I watched him work his way through medical school and residency, an incredibly difficult feat for someone in their 40’s. Because of this I was exposed to medicine at an early age. I witnessed how he interacted with his patients. They were more than patients. They came to him for health advice, life advice, and even love advice at times. I grew enamored with the thought that I can go into a career where I didn’t have clients but instead had friends, friends who trust me with their lives and the lives of their loved ones.”

This way of thinking is indicative in all that Dr. Mike does. His life philosophy is a simple and noble notion as he states; “Know thyself.” In any endeavor that you set out upon the first step will always be to be able to understand who you are. You must know your strengths, your limitations, your likes and your dislikes. I see people in horrible jobs or in horrible relationships all the time and it’s not because they aren’t smart, it’s because they forgot to know who they are as individuals first. There are so many people out there chasing dreams that aren’t their own. You have to step outside your comfort zone, explore the world around you, and only then can you have some sense about who you are and where you should be going. “

In knowing himself, he is a humble man who in regards to his popularity has this to say, “I’m still in awe of the term “Instagram-Fame”. I don’t understand how it came about that I am now recognizable on the street in countries all around the world. I’m so grateful for all the doors it has opened in my career. I’ve always been incredibly passionate about helping others and educating on medical topics. Now instead of teaching one patient in my office I’m able to reach over 2 million people right at home. I am a realist and understand that most follow me because they find me attractive. I don’t shy away from that kind of attention. I think that if I can catch a young girl’s attention with my looks and in the process convince her to come in for her cancer screening or teach her something about her health, my mission as a doctor has been accomplished. Being popular on social media allows an individual great amount of influence, and I intend on using mine to make everyone in the world healthier and excited about staying that way. ”

Helping the world be healthier is a multi-faceted ordeal as being happy, as many of us have found, is directly correlated to being and staying healthy. As such, Dr. Mike and The Limitless Tomorrow Foundation are in fact helping people realize themselves and live happy, healthy lives, by making the playing ground a bit more leveled for those who might otherwise fall through the cracks despite their dreams, skills, and tireless efforts. “Ever since I gained my popularity on social media I’ve been trying to find a way to use my influence for the greater good. I looked at my own situation and saw a loophole in our system. I was always one of the top 20 or so students in my classes, I was involved in many extracurricular projects, but it was always the top 5 students who got the scholarships. I thought that was ludicrous. I do not believe that grades are the sole aspect that students should be based on when distributing scholarships. As a physician I treat my patients as a whole, so why wouldn’t I treat students the same? Now my foundation can gift scholarships and funding based on the whole student and not just their grades. The future world leaders will need to be well-rounded and that’s precisely the type of applicants we are looking for. We want to give money to those who have a great vision for the world ahead of them.”

He believes that education is the greatest obstacle of our time. He explains, “So many of our worldly conflicts are due to misunderstandings and poor communication. Education is lacking throughout the world. Most importantly the education of common sense. Don’t get me wrong, it’s incredibly important to have kids learn the basics in the classic subjects (language, mathematics, sciences, etc.). But we often overlook the importance of teaching children how to think on their own. We give them the knowledge that 2+2=4 but never teach them how to question that 2+2=5.”

The awe-inspiring physician assures that unlike many others, he did not set out to become web-famous. “I started sharing my journey throughout medical school in the hopes of showing all the naysayers out there that it is possible to get a great medical education, while having fun at the same time. I always made sure my studies came first, but I never slacked off on my fitness or social activities. This shocked many. People thought I was just a model pretending to be a doctor on social media. I put myself out there to break that stigma that you do NOT have to give up your life to practice medicine.”

When he’s not busy taking care of others, as his Instagram also indicates, he enjoys tennis and competitive training, and he loves to spend time with his dog Roxy. “Roxy, my husky holds a special place in my heart. My father and I had a terrible loss several years ago of my mother, and we were in a very negative place. With both of us being physicians it was hard to lose someone so close in our lives, especially so early in her life. My father and I needed a positive outlet. I decided that I would fulfill my father’s childhood dream of getting a husky. I still remember the tears rolling down his face when I brought her home as a puppy. Since Roxy came into our lives, we have had something to look forward to every evening coming home from work. She means everything to us and I really do believe she carries my mom’s spirit within her.”

October 1st came and with it a noticeable difference in weather here in Southern California. Along with the drop in temperature and the warm autumn breeze, the changing season reminds us that we are entering cold and flu season. How to best get a jump on the inevitable influenza and virus’ pervading our daily lives? By building our immune systems and utilizing nature’s most powerful remedies, incorporating them into our daily diet.

You don’t have to have a smoothie everyday – there are plenty of ways to incorporate ingredients such as turmeric and apple cider vinegar into other meals – but I find starting my day by fueling my body with exactly what it needs sets a great habit that I can maintain no matter what life throws at me.

As with maintaining a good physical routine, a good diet is essential to long-term wellness. By starting a daily commitment that naturally becomes habitual, we set ourselves up for success, and ultimately great health.

In selecting the best infection-busting ingredients, this smoothie incorporates vitamin C, antioxidants, and anti-inflammatory properties, on a base of rich greens. I include either spinach or kale into every smoothie I make, and for this one I choose spinach as the foundation.

Ingredients:

Spinach

Spinach has an extremely high nutritional value and is rich in antioxidants. It is a good source of vitamins A, B2, C and K, and also contains magnesium, manganese, folate, iron, calcium and potassium.

On top of this base, I layer in fruits high in Vitamin C:

Oranges

You may already know that oranges are an excellent source of vitamin C, but do you know how important both are for good health? Vitamin C is the primary water-soluble antioxidant in the body, disarming free radicals and preventing damage to cells triggering inflammation, associated with reduced severity of inflammatory conditions, such as asthma, osteoarthritis, cancer, and rheumatoid arthritis. Vitamin C is vital for the proper function of a healthy immune system, good for preventing colds and helpful in preventing recurrent ear infections.

Healthful, everyday staples in fighting inflammation and boosting the immune system are vital. Natural ingredients that challenge chronic inflammation are of importance in preventing diseases, from the common cold to cancer.

Tumeric

Turmeric is a root herb related to ginger, known for its anti-inflammatory, anti-oxidant, and anti-cancer properties. Rich in vitamin B6, C, and minerals such as iron, calcium and potassium, a few grams of turmeric a day can provide enough nutrients to help you keep away from anemia, neuritis, memory disorders and offer protection against cancers, infectious diseases, high blood pressure, and strokes.

Ginger

Ginger is closely related to turmeric and cardomon and has a long history of being used to help digestion, reduce nausea and morning sickness, and help fight the flu and common cold, to name a few. A natural anti-inflammatory, its benefits include easing muscle pain and soreness, helping with osteoarthritis, gingivitis and periodontitis, and lowering blood sugar and cholesterol levels. The active ingredient in ginger is gingerol, a bioactive substance that helps lower the risk of infections.

A daily teaspoon of organic, unfiltered apple cider vinegar contains proteins, friendly bacteria, and enzymes, making it a powerful tool in killing many different bacteria’s including upper respiratory infections. It also contributes to lowering blood sugars and fighting diabetes, aiding in weight loss and fat flushing, and lowers cholesterol thereby reducing risk of heart disease. Additionally, it helps in soothing sore muscles, boosts energy and strengthens the immune system.

Greek Yoghurt

Greek yogurt is packed with probiotics. Probiotics are healthy bacteria that can help boost your immune system and decrease stomach issues, such as diarrhea and pain. Another benefit of Greek yogurt is that it’s high in calcium, key to building strong muscles and helping your vital organs function.

When shopping for ingredients, always choose organic particularly the fruits and vegetables, which can be laden with nasty pesticides, thus undoing all your good work and the benefits to your body.

Cold-Busting Smoothie Recipe:

2 cups fresh spinach

1/2 cup coconut water, unsweetened (or regular water)

½ cup orange juice

1 cup pineapple

1 orange, peeled

½ tspn of ground turmeric powder

2 tspns of apple cider vinegar

1 tbspn of Greek yoghurt

1 pinch of cayenne pepper

Note: This smoothie contains the ultimate in stay-well ingredients, but you can modify as you choose. The tang from the apple cider vinegar and taste of the spices is soothed by the creaminess of the Greek yoghurt. You can add more to suit your taste if desired.

Truth in media. A simple concept. One that we have long been led to believe is not only our Constitutional right in the United States, but an inherent truth about how our media organizations behave. But as reality would have it, truth is relative and trust is an illusion, and we are told that this is simply what we must accept.

In the media today, we have more entertainment than truth. Gone are the days of John Peter Zenger, Martha Gellhorn, Hunter S. Thompson, and Woodward and Bernstein. Journalism is no longer glorified as it once was, and is now more about sensationalism than the hard facts of the human condition. But as any good journalist or observer of whole knows, what is broken can be fixed. And there are many out there, willing to put their lives on the line to care. Willing to struggle, walk the unbeaten path, go against the grain – there are still good, decent men and women out there willing to fight for the public’s right to know the TRUTH.

Ben Swann is one of these fearless and well-informed journalists who is going above and beyond with his outlet Truth in Media. Originally starting his career as a photojournalist in El Paso, Texas, he quickly moved to anchor and has during the course of his career, become a two-time Emmy Award journalist and the two-time recipient of the Edward R. Murrow Award. He has challenged every topic in which he’s realized the truth was not being told by mainstream media including the “War on Drugs”, the Mexican drug war, the American electoral process, “the strangehold of the American two-party system and the suppression of voter’s choices by mainstream media.” He is the first journalist to confront President Obama about the Constitutionality of his “kill list” (which is not just a political myth), and is the only journalist to “confront Mitt Romney about the railroading of duly elected delegates during the 2012 Republican National Convention.”

Because of his fearless approach, Ben was able to move into creating his own independent platform and is now at the helm of the Truth in Media project, launched in June 2016. Through a crowdfunding startup process, Ben has been able to tackle such important and controversial issues as, “the truth behind Cannabis and CBD oil, safety of vaccines, the Root of Militarization of Police, and the Origins of ISIS.” He is arguably the most well received, successful, thoughtful, and respected independent journalist on the beat today, with Truth In Media’s mission statement reading, “The Truth in Media Project speaks truth to power. We are the source for breaking news, political analysis and topics the mainstream media refuses to cover.”

In his Truth campaigns, Ben raises narrative worth discussing, and pulls no punches questioning the mainstream media’s lack of discussion in these areas in the process. He is brilliant in his address and informative to those willing to let the wool down from their eyes.

In lieu of yesterday’s “mass shooting, in the Cascade Mall in Washington, we should take time to wonder what this recurring and considerably modern phenomenon is and why despite eye witness testimony that events like the Sandy Hook Tragedy or the Colorado Theater Shooting were not a lone gunmen commitment, do we never hear about the possibility of this theory in the networks, nor is our law-enforcement compelled to provide evidence laying to rest such disturbing theory in the first place.”

As Ben so boldly stated, “There is a good reason to question this narrative because there has been no evidence, no evidence provided by police, other than what they’ve told us, that there is only one shooter here. There’s an easy way to prove it. Police have not yet released the surveillance video outside the theater in Colorado, show the surveillance video, proving it was one person. Just as they have not released the video in the Sandy Hook Shooting, again, the video proving that there was only one person. You see, these questions are worth asking law enforcement until they provide evidence otherwise.” A statement that tragically rings true again, and for which he was thoroughly smeared for by his colleagues in the mainstream media machine.

We must ask ourselves, when did asking too many questions become a journalistic taboo; and when did journalists who dare ask the hard hitting questions become such liability that all independent journalists are now deemed unprofessional, untrustworthy, and possibly labeled as criminals? When did our First Amendment rights become a luxury in this country, censored and dumbed down by a system that was supposed to protect it? Is not the first and foremost job of the Federal Government to protect the Constitution of the United States of America, including the FIRST AMENDEMENT? We must ask these questions and keep asking them until we are given evidence to the contrary, as Ben so boldly and rightfully suggests.

For his hard-hitting, thought provoking, unapologetic and truthful journalistic approach, we commend Ben Swann. Keep fighting the good fight and pulling no punches. The world needs it.

“Your work is to discover your world, and then with all your heart, give yourself to it.” – Buddah

In today’s world nothing is for free, and everyone is always looking for all they can get – that’s the popular mindset, a mindset drilled into us from the day we open our eyes here on Earth . . . But is it the right mindset?

We were once beings of community, but as time has gone by we have moved away from the collective toward individualism, so much so that we’ve lost sight of what’s truly important. In our greed and lust for money, power, consumerism, and all things once labeled the root to all things evil, we’ve come to a place of selfish entitlement.

Such is the paradigm of our global society, though the degrees are varied from culture to culture, and even subculture to subculture. A paradigm so unnerving that most people find themselves unhappy and disconnected. That sense of unfulfilled discord is the reason why so many of us are questioning our current state of affairs. It is why we must start to resist the popular misconception of individualism over community; and many of us around the globe are doing just that, and taking part in reshaping our world.

In a lead by example effort, Sean Coombes, a hairdresser living in Britain, has taken to the streets to “do something for nothing.” A movement which was born out of an idea that we can be and should feel responsible for our fellow man, just because. Along with the help of his best friend and world renowned photographer Matt Spracklen, he has been able to bring attention to and grow the movement, so much so that the world press has taken notice, integral to the success of this very simple and noble idea. It is the thought that we are all able to do well for others without any expectation or sense of higher status as a result. #dosomethingfornothing is by definition an act of kindness for the sake of being kind.

In this effort, Josh who started out as a musician, takes to the streets of London and surrounding areas with only his styling kit to aid him, and he gives those less fortunate and willing a makeover in order to make them feel cared for and capable. “It just happened one day. I had all my gear on me and I was walking past somebody who was homeless and it went from there, really. It was a lightbulb moment in my head and I was like this is an amazing way to connect with people,” he said. “I approach somebody, I talk to them on a human level.”

“During the haircut, it’s quite an intimate thing and you really see someone come out of their shell, and they start talking to you a bit deeper about their life and their situation. And you show that look in the mirror and you’re like their best friend,” he continued in an interview with HuffPost.

In one of his Instagram messages, Matt Spracklen wrote, “To think how far we`ve come with #dosomethingfornothing stuns me. “

All of this is to help ripple the effects of the movement, besides the current and immediate acts of kindness being performed at any given moment, so that others might do for those in need whether for those “sleeping rough,” or just anyone “in need of love.”

So next time we find ourselves in the baseless discussions of stigmatized concepts such as the giving of charity and welfare, and whether that means you are being taken advantage of or not, we must remind ourselves of the idea of doing something for nothing. For the simple and pure reasons of love and community alone, we must remind ourselves what it means to do well, be well, and expect nothing in return.

Butterscotch Chicken and Vegetables with Aromatic Brown Rice and Quinoa, Served with Cucumber and Cherry Tomato Salad

By Star Noor, Culinary Editor

When you’re single, you sometimes have great aspirations, but not enough things. Take me for example, I live in a spacious three-bedroom house that is mostly empty. Between a crazy schedule, and a social life that bustles to say the least and other goings on, I have very little in the way of those amenities that most folks would consider cozy. My dishes are mismatched, my furniture is scarce, heck, I don’t even have a dining room table; but no matter because a lady can still have dinner with friends and make it classy without all those things.

Last night I, along with a few of my good friends, had dinner at my place. It was an eventful time, full of surprises and neighborhood happenings, which highly shifted the mood throughout the evening. But, hey that’s what happens when you put a bunch of folks in a small patch of land, or in a room for that matter. Add animals to that mix and well, you have a party.

On the menu was a simple fall dinner, full of flavor and the hearty goodness our bodies crave this time of year. As always, the ingredients were all nutritious, and the fats were all good and necessary. I even added a surprise ingredient in the mix – the underutilized, almost forgotten, crabapple.

Crabapple comes in a large array. There are over 35 species and 700 cultivated varieties. The small trees are grown for the brightly colored flowers in the spring ranging from pink or red buds when they first bloom, then paling to lighter shades after they’ve opened, creating the illusion of a fluffy pink cloud which last for weeks. These resilient trees are absolutely remarkable as they can withstand the cold and harsh winter climates and heavy soil of the North and Midwest. Crabapples are fat free, cholesterol free, sodium free, and a great source for vitamin C. In the Middle Ages, crabapple juice was used much the same way that we use vinegar today. You can make jams, jellies, preserves, and butters out of them. You can dehydrate them for some apple crisps. You can bake them, boil them, mash them, grill them. More than just ornament, they should be utilized as a food source in a world which begs for food and consumes GMO’s and processing preservatives.

That’s why I used this resourceful fruit in this scrumptious recipe, which I’m sharing for you to enjoy. I hope you too have the chance to share it with loved ones as I did. Though, even if you have to make a small pot dinner for yourself, enjoy! Life is too short to eat bad food, or feel alone. Make your heart warm by making your home warm and there ain’t nothing that can harm you.

Mangiare! And remember, when eating, the first deep breath is your body telling you, you’re done.

INGREDIENTS & INSTRUCTIONS:

This recipe serves four

Entrée

*1 cup chicken stock

* 1 cup butterscotch, pureed

* 1 onion, sliced

* 1 heaping tsp. garlic, minced

* 7 petit sweet bell peppers

* 1 Shitake mushroom, peeled and diced

* 1 cup baby carrots

*1 large jalapeno, de-seeded, chopped

* 1 cup crabapples, destemmed, cut in half, deseeded.

* 1 bunch basil, chopped

* 1 spring rosemary, leaves taken off of stem

* ½ cup artichokes

* ½ cup grape seed oil, hemp oil, or olive oil

* 1 lb. chicken thighs, or any cut preferred

*Himalayan pink salt, or sea salt, and red pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large oven-safe deep frying pan, heat oil to glistening hot. Sear the chicken on both sides until golden.

Meanwhile, chop all of the vegetables and herbs for the casserole.

Add the stock and puree into the pan. Add the herbs and vegetables to the pan as well. Salt and pepper to season, stir so that vegetables are submerged in the liquid. Cover and place in the oven. Bake for one hour.

When water is at a rolling boil, drain the rice in bowl and add to the pan. Boil for about 15-20 minutes, making sure that the rice does not become fully cooked.

Drain rice when the brown rice can be pierced with your nail. Use a spatula to get a few grains out while doing it, and make sure your hands are washed.

In the colander or a mixing bowl, use a spatula to fold in the cumin and some salt and pepper to taste. Add the oil in the same fashion. Place oil and water in the saucepan. Place the rice mixture into the saucepan. Cover with a lid and steam rice on low heat until rice is cooked through.

Salad

* 1 ½ heads Artisan lettuce, chopped

* 2 cucumbers, diced

* 1 cup cherry tomatoes, yellow – sliced in half

* Small pinch of garlic, minced

* Cranberry Chevre Cheese

* 1 cup Greek yogurt

* 1 large lemon, juiced

* ½ cup grapeseed or olive oil

Chop the lettuce. Using your knife, slice through the lettuce heads horizontally, then chop the lettuce without removing the ends. This will ensure easy and even chopping.

Add all of the vegetables for the salad in your serving dish. Using a tong, toss the salad well. Sprinkle with dots of cranberry goat cheese. Cover and keep in the refrigerator.

Add all other ingredients to a mixing bowl and whisk well, until the dressing is smooth. Pour in terrine and cover. Also, put aside in the fridge.

Plating

Serve this meal family style, using a platter or large deep bowl for the rice mixture, heaped in the center; and, a large bowl or casserole dish for the chicken and veggies. A meal served as such is felt more shared and brings about togetherness more so than a buffet style, or a pre-plated service.

VLTA is an environmentally conscious company that produces jewelry designed to hold essential oils inside. Designed from recycled metals, and ethically sourced semiprecious stones, VLTA jewelry is minimalistic in style, and geometrically expressed. Pronounced vol-tah, the brand is named after a meteorite that hit the Earth’s surface around fourteen million years ago. The six trillion megatons of force that pierced the Earth’s core reversed the magnetic poles and melted into a green, translucent glass now known as Vltavín, or Moldavite. VLTA are driven by the ancient connectivity threaded through all life, and brings inspiration to all creative minds, a reminder that we are equipped with the necessary tools to sustain a healthy existence.

The brand, pride themselves on developing designs that embody sustainable practices, multifunctional use, and incorporate longevity and vitality. From concept to creation, sampling to full-scale production, the entire process is handmade in the USA with all final touches completed in-house, and providing jobs to support the economy and reduce carbon footprint. All materials used are recycled and carefully sourced for the greatest sustainable impact. VLTA also strive to be a zero waste company.

Founded by Matthew Pril and Irene-Marie Seelig in fall 2014, the partners have appreciation for minimal, multifunctional design. Both are native Californians, from very different professional backgrounds, each with their own unique skill set. The pair possess a deep interest in holistic medicine, recently becoming certified in Clinical Herbalism from the Natural Healing Institute. As a collective, Matt and Irene’s professional work touches various industries including scalable loss wax, metal casting and fabrication, furniture design, accessory design and holistic medicine. “We have a shared vision to create premium products that remind us that we and our environment are equipped with the necessary tools to sustain a healthy existence.”

People Berlin is a social clothing label that runs between fashion and art, and acts as a creative exchange for young people affected by addiction and mental illness. Bringing together people from different social backgrounds through a shared passion for design, the program joins forces to work together on shared fashion editions. Conceptual by nature, the output is highly expressive, and features unexpected layers, silhouettes and details that never the less make for a pleasing whole. The personal journey that is the final collection takes a full year of collaborative and personal work.

Now in their second edition entitled Snow in Summer, the collection focuses on the meaning of home, and the attempt of fleeing from it. Snow in Summer embodies many and varied concepts of home, showcasing numerous possibilities of expression through the medium of fashion. Everybody’s journey to discover self starts at home, so for the young people participating in the Fashion Project People Berlin, the meaning of home is the starting point, one full of desires and fantasies.

In Fall of 2016, People Berlin are showcasing the Snow in Summer collection at a pop up store in Berlin’s trendy Mitte district. With the intent of promoting and sharing the work of the program, everyone is invited to get to know the project. Acting as a bridge to fundamental discussions about fixed social norms and prejudices, the encounter will act as an important opportunity for honest feedback on the participant’s values, ideas and visual concepts. Revenue from sales at the pop up will flow back into the project.

As the weather gets colder, it becomes harder it seems, for us to eat light healthy foods for our bodies crave warmth and comfort. But eating healthily is essential to our well being, and in doing that organically and in a manner that is sustainable, is essential to the health of our world. We must be conscious in the choices we make in the foods we eat, and where and how this food comes to us.

This recipe combines the health benefits of light cooking with the savory taste of sausage and the warm goodness of a medium poached egg. Though there is some fat, due to the use of low fat oils, low fat sausage, and other ingredients, this recipe is still rather healthy. Not to mention an overall well balanced diet, especially if organic and devout of all the toxins that normally bog down our unprepared digestive tracks, allows for a degree of good essential fats. The spicy fall sausage is packed full of protein and various nutrients which come from the various herbs used including red pepper, which is full of goodness such as keeping our hearts and immune system healthy. Himalayan pink salt is also a much healthier and beneficial choice in sodium than even sea salt, and is much lower in sodium than ionized table salt.

In this recipe you may use any of either organic grapeseed, hemp, or olive oil you want but bear in mind that hemp oil has a nutty taste. I used grapeseed oil in creating this recipe. Please note that all our recipes call for organic, sustainable, grass-fed, cruelty free, cage free food products. We all have different tastes, and here at Coco Eco we believe that we should embrace our differences and even celebrate them, consciously and respectfully.

Here’s the recipe . . . Bon appetite!

Note: this recipe is for one serving, for each additional serving double the amount of each ingredient.

INGREDIENTS:

SALAD:

1 small head of Artisan lettuce

½ small onion, chopped

1 regular link of low-fat spicy sausage, thinly sliced

¼ tbsp. garlic, minced

1 egg

Goat cheese for sprinkling

¼ cup white vinegar

2 cups water, boiling

1 tbsp. grapeseed or hemp oil

Himalayan pink salt and red crushed pepper to taste.

DRESSING

1 tbsp. low-fat mayonnaise

½ tbsp. white wine

1 tbsp. grapeseed, hemp, otherwise olive oil

1 tbsp. apple cider vinegar

Himalayan pink salt, and crushed red pepper to taste

Instructions:

In a small frying pan, sauté onions, garlic, and sausage until cooked through, about 7 minutes on medium high heat. Make sure to add garlic last to avoid burning.

In a medium saucepan, heat water and vinegar to rolling boil. Carefully crack the eggs and pour content into water. Using a slotted spoon, gather the whites onto the yolk until you have an oval white egg. Ta Cook to preferred temperature, for this recipe the egg was cooked to medium. You may also use an electric egg poacher, if you have one. Take the egg out of the water and set aside on a towel lined plate.

In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together all of the ingredients for the dressing. Set aside In the refrigerator.

Plating:

On a dinner plate, pile the lettuce in the center. Top with sausage mixture. Carefully place an egg on top. Sprinkle with pieces of goat cheese, and drizzle with dressing. Serve.

Known for some of the best beaches and diving in the world, The El Nido area of Northern Palawan in the Philippines is geologically and biologically diverse, prompting the Philippine government to elevate the status of the area to a turtle sanctuary, marine reserve, and Managed Protected Area in recognition of its importance.

Away from the madding crowds, hectic city life, El Nido Resorts is a group of four sustainable island resorts in the El Nido and Taytay region. A stay at one of their resorts offers travelers traditional Filipino hospitality amidst the stunning beauty of this pristine, natural destination, recently receiving TripAdvisor’s Certificate of Excellence Award for 2016.

Lagen Resort, El Nido Resorts’ Eco-Sanctuary island resort, is intimately nestled between lush rainforest and a sparkling turquoise lagoon, serving as a wildlife sanctuary where time literally stands still. Guests can choose to stay in cottages overlooking the lush forest, on the beach, or in a dreamy water cottage sitting atop stilts above the water where the sunsets are magical. Each room incorporates recycled timber from old Filipino homes for floors and furnishings, while offering WiFi, iPod docks, and televisions, fusing the past with modern convenience.

Whilst staying at Lagen, enjoy water sports such as paddle boarding, kayaking and wind surfing, hike one of the surrounding trails, or indulge in a spot of island hopping to one of the other resorts.

Take a trip to the infamous Big and Small Lagoon in Miniloc Island and organize for a private boat, called a Bangka, to take you around. En route enjoy white sand beaches, limestone cliffs, coral, and sea life, including endangered turtles. The lagoons contain crystal clear water and jagged black limestone cliffs made from million year old fossils. It is in a word, paradise.

El Nido’s Eco-Adventure Island, Apulit, offers exciting and enriching adventures in an idyllic tropical paradise setting, and exhilarating activities for the thrill-seeker. Climb and rappel down the 60-meter limestone cliff, with birds’ eye-view of the island; dive and discover sunken treasures with a Japanese ship wreck and a plethora of marine species, or roam the caves Apulit is famous for.

On the other hand, relax on the beach, or take a leisurely swim in the calming pool.

When hunger strikes, Lagen Island offers sand bar dinners in the middle of the ocean and private beach experiences that include sunrises and sunsets, sure to take your breath away.

El Nido Resorts embraces its leadership role in nature conservation, working closely with the community and local government by assisting in initiatives such as the prevention of illegal fishing, coral and reef fish assessments, coastal clean-ups, and environmental education campaigns. Each resort recycles, practices energy and water conservation, and champions the conservation of endangered sea turtles, with tag-and-release programs in cooperation with the Protected Area Office, and hatchling releases from nests safeguarded by resort staff.

Though a long trek to get there involving at least two plane rides and one boat trip, as you arrive all thoughts and stresses of your long journey vanish, as you literally escape to paradise.

From the Road was born out of a passion for off-the-grid travel, a love of indigenous cultures and a desire to create beautiful objects with soul. Founder Susan Easton travels the world to collaborate with artisans on decorative accessories for self and home, that celebrate the source. From the Road is founded on the belief that beautiful objects must embody more than aesthetic beauty, but encompass the people and place that gave birth to them. The world is full of incredible traditions, cultures and techniques, many passed down through generations, and all worth celebrating, valuing and continuing. Easton travels the globe to collaborate with artisans with traditional approaches, to create one-of-a-kind treasures.

With an open mind and heart, Easton arrives at a destination without preconceived ideas of what to make, but instead designs and prototypes are developed in partnership with the artisans themselves. Each creative journey is influenced by the people and the surroundings encountered, taking time to meet people, and immerse themselves in the local culture. Out of these experiences, new products and creations emerge.

From the Road document and record the process of conceptualization, design and production, connecting purchasers with the journey, enabling them to experience the culture, meet the artisans, and witness the entire process of creating modern heirlooms. Each collaboration starts with a conversation, and ends with a conversation piece.